Contents

Summary

NEVER IS A VERY LONG TIME - Damon is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to prevent Elena from being a victim of Klaus' plan to break the curse. Damon's actions put him at terrible odds with Stefan and the tension that started brewing between the brothers over their differing opinions of how to help save Elena's life blows up into full-scale conflict. Tyler returns to Mystic Falls after receiving a disturbing phone call. With the full moon marking the arrival of the sacrifice ritual, Stefan and Elena spend a romantic day together, afraid it might be their last.

Plot

SPOILERS AHEAD

The episode opens with Damon thinking while laying in bed. He gets up to speak to Elijah, Elena and Stefan. Elijah repeats that if Klaus breaks the curse, he will become a hybrid of a werewolf and a vampire. Damon suggests that they could kill him using Bonnie, but Elena again says that's not an option. She asks where she fits into the ritual and Elijah explains that the ritual will end with Klaus drinking the blood of the doppelgänger to the point of her death. He reveals that he has an elixir he got for Katherine, which will be able to resuscitate Elena after she dies. Damon is unimpressed and says that the potion might not work, but Elena is willing to take the chance.

Meanwhile, Carol Lockwood calls Tyler as she walks up the stairs in her home. She tells him to come home as she had an accident and is in the hospital. When she hangs up, she asks Klaus' witch Maddox why she did that. He tells her that she has had a terrible fall and uses his power to push her over the bannister. Later, Tyler arrives in the hospital to see his mother. Damon goes to drink outside and angrily tells Stefan that he is surrounded by idiots. He asks why Stefan is willing to trust Elijah, and Stefan explains that he is putting his faith in Elena because she put her faith in him. He adds that she chose to trust Damon, and Damon suggests that her instincts aren't very good. Inside, Elijah asks Elena why she is willing to do this. She explains that if she doesn't stop Klaus, he'll hurt people. Elijah admits that the elixir might not work, but Elena insists that she knows the risks. Suddenly, they hear Jenna telling someone to get out. They find her with Alaric, who proves that he is not Klaus by talking about his first night with Jenna. He explains that Klaus wanted him to deliver a message - the sacrifice will happen that night.

At the Mystic Grill, Caroline arrives and asks to spend lunch with Matt. He agrees, but when she has gone, he goes to see Sheriff Forbes and admits that he doesn't want to spy on Caroline anymore. He says she seems like the same Caroline, but the Sheriff insists that as a vampire she can have no soul or humanity. Matt is unconvinced, but she reminds him that they killed his sister. Matt asks why Sheriff Forbes is hesitating and she says she needs more information - but admits that she still looks at Caroline and sees her daughter. Matt begs her to focus on Damon instead, but Sheriff Forbes says she shouldn't have involved him and says she'll take it from here. Back at the Salvatore house, Alaric admits that he doesn't remember anything that happened in the last few days. Elena realizes that Damon has gone and heads upstairs to find him. She says he needs to understand why she is doing this, but Damon complains that he is the only one who is convinced the elixir won't work. He worries that Elena is going to die, but she says it is her choice and she is willing to take the risk.

Damon stares at her and says he can't lose her. Elena promises he won't, but as she goes to leave, he rushes in front of her and says that there is another way. He bites his arm and forces her to drink his blood. Stefan arrives and pushes him off as Elena cries. Damon says that at least this way Elena will survive, even if it is as a vampire. Stefan says it should have been Elena's choice, but Damon retorts that Stefan just wishes that he had the balls to do it himself. They begin to fight and Stefan repeatedly punches Damon in the face. Damon eventually stakes him in the stomach. Alaric and Jenna arrive and Elena begs them to get Damon out of there. Jenna rushes to get blood for Stefan. Downstairs, Elijah packs away the elixir and tells Damon that Elena will never forgive him for this. "Never for a vampire is a very long time," he adds. Back upstairs, Stefan recovers and Jenna and Alaric leave to give him and Elena some time alone. Alaric apologizes for not confiding in Jenna earlier, explaining he should have known she could handle it. Jenna admits that she doesn't know if she can. She smiles at Alaric, saying she is glad he is okay, and they kiss.

Meanwhile, Stefan tells Elena that they need to talk about the possibility that she could become a vampire. He asks her to spend the day with him. At the hospital, Jules arrives and tells Tyler they have to leave and lock themselves up in preparation for the full moon. Outside, Tyler bumps into Caroline and they have an awkward conversation. Caroline is annoyed that Tyler never said goodbye, but he explains that he left for a reason. Tyler begins to leave, but Maddox and Greta appear, forcing Tyler and Caroline to fall on the ground with their powers. Greta injects Caroline with vervain and they drag the pair away. Meanwhile, Matt calls Caroline and leaves a message, saying he needs to speak to her about something important.

Damon and Alaric chat at the Mystic Grill when Klaus appears. He says that he wanted to remind Damon not to do anything he will regret. Damon asks if he can postpone the ritual, but Klaus says he has everything and the ritual will happen. He warns him not to screw it up if he wants to live. When he has gone, Damon suggests that if they manage to take the werewolf out of the equation, they could buy Elena another month. Alaric points out that Damon will be killed, but agrees to help. They go to Alaric's apartment, which Klaus is occupying and Alaric invites Damon inside. He leaves as Damon asks Katherine where Klaus is keeping the werewolf. Katherine is reluctant to help out, but reveals that Klaus has captured Caroline and Tyler. She is shocked to learn that Elena has vampire blood in her system and Damon warns her that she would have to compete for Stefan's love with Elena forever. Katherine reveals that Caroline and Tyler are being held in the tomb. In the tomb, Caroline wakes up and Tyler asks who the witches were. Caroline says they were with Klaus, but Tyler has no idea who that is. Caroline says he shouldn't have returned.

Elena and Stefan walk through the woods and Stefan asks Elena if she is ready to talk about how she is feeling yet. Elena admits that she doesn't know, but is stunned when they arrive at a beautiful waterfall. Stefan tells her that it's ok to talk about how she feels, but Elena refuses. Stefan agrees to respect her choice and says they are going to walk to the top of the waterfall. As they continue, Elena asks what the best thing about being a vampire is. Stefan says that all the positive emotions are heightened - but admits that all the negative ones are too, which is the worst thing. He admits that he is still trying to handle both. Elena tells him they should keep going.

Klaus returns to Alaric's apartment and is immediately suspicious of Katherine. He compels her to tell him what she has been doing, but as she is taking vervain, she is able to lie. He is still suspicious and 'compels' her to take off her bracelet, walk to the window and stand in the sunlight. Katherine has to do it and screams. Eventually Klaus believes she is compelled and says she needs to do something for him.

Meanwhile, Damon arrives at the tomb, but is confronted by Maddox. Damon tries to strangle Maddox, but is pushed away by his power. However, Matt appears and shoots Maddox, before Damon breaks his neck. Matt asks Damon what he did to Caroline, but Damon tells him he's there to rescue her and knocks Matt out with his gun. He notices that Matt has wooden bullets. Down in the tomb, Caroline tells Tyler about Klaus and admits that she thinks he is going to kill them. Tyler admits that Jules has been helping him come to terms with being a werewolf, but it doesn't matter now. Caroline asks why he didn't say goodbye and Tyler admits that he thought she hated him and deserved better than having someone like him in her life. Caroline admits that she was hurt, but could never hate him. Damon arrives and reveals that Matt is outside with wooden bullets. He frees Caroline, but she refuses to leave without Tyler. Tyler admits that he can lock himself up in the Lockwood cellar and Damon agrees to untie him.

Stefan and Elena arrive at the top of the waterfall and Stefan tells Elena that she can say what she wants to say. He admits that he has thought about her becoming a vampire lots of times, but it would be selfish for him to ask her. He admits that Damon made her drink his blood because he loves her. Elena admits that she doesn't know what love is - she is only 17. She says she loves Stefan, but has no idea about her future as she was supposed to deal with that as it happened. She begins to cry, explaining that she wanted to grow up, have a family and get old. "Now it's all gone," she sobs. Stefan tells her to say it and she admits that she never wanted to be a vampire. Stefan hugs her as she cries.

Caroline, Damon and Tyler exit the tomb and meet Matt, but the full moon is emerging and Tyler's transformation process begins. Meanwhile, Stefan and Elena arrive home, but are confronted by Klaus, who asks if Elena is ready. Stefan sobs: "No" but Elena tells him there is no need for him to get hurt. She kisses him and tells him she loves him. Stefan tells her that he loves her and kisses her again. Elena tells him to close his eyes and lets go of his hand when he does. When Stefan opens his eyes again, Elena has disappeared. Stefan goes inside and discovers that the house is empty, except for Alaric. Stefan calls Damon and reveals that Klaus has taken Elena. Damon is devastated, but promises to deal with it. Meanwhile, Tyler's transformation is moving on and he tells them to leave. Damon has to push Tyler down, but Tyler tries to bite him. Damon says he is fine and tells Caroline and Matt to lock themselves in the Lockwood cellar. He rushes away.

Klaus returns to Alaric's apartment and tells Katherine that Elena is with Greta. The door flings open and Damon tells Klaus to postpone the ritual, explaining that he rescued the werewolf and vampire and killed Maddox. Klaus tells him that he knew either Damon or Stefan would try to stop him and reveals that he always had a back-up plan. He shows Damon on a webcam that he has captured Jules. Damon asks if he has a back-up vampire and Klaus says he has got it covered, before darkness falls on Damon. Meanwhile, Caroline and Matt rush down to the cellar, but are confronted by a wolf.

Katherine wakes Damon up and tells him that Klaus has gone to begin the ritual. She admits that she had to do something so Klaus wouldn't realize she was on vervain and reveals that Klaus made her call to lure someone, explaining that he needed another vampire. Meanwhile, Elena and Greta walk through the woods. Greta explains that Luka and her father were wasting their time looking for her as she wasn't lost. She uses her power to light some fires and Elena is shocked to see Jenna lying on the ground. She rushes over to her and asks why Klaus killed her. However, Jenna suddenly wakes up and Greta reveals that Jenna is not dead - she's in transition.

The episode ends back at Alaric's apartment, where Damon asks why Klaus didn't use him as the vampire. Katherine admits that Klaus couldn't because Damon was as good as dead. She suddenly notices a mark on Damon's arm and asks what it is. "Werewolf bite," he replies.

Trivia

Jenna dies with vampireblood in her system. She awakens in transition just before the ritual is started.

This is the second time in the series that Damon has force-fed Elena his blood in the series. The first time was in Children Of The Damned as a threat against Stefan. In this episode it is used as a way of ensuring that Elena will come back after the blood sacrifice.

This is the third time Elena has ingested vampire blood in the series and the second time this season.

Elena admits to Stefan that she never wanted to become a vampire in this episode.

In I'm Thinking Of You All The While, Elena chooses the memory of this day before the sacrifice in order to say goodbye to Stefan until she sees him again in sixty or seventy years when she awakens from her sleep spell.

Stefan: (to Elena) "If it was my choice, I'd want to be with you forever."

Elena: (to Stefan) "I was supposed to grow up. Decide if I want to have kids and start a family. Grow old. I was supposed to have a lifetime of those choices, and now it's all gone. I don't want to be a vampire, Stefan. I never wanted to be one."

Klaus: (to Damon) "I've heard about you. The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl. I knew one of you would try to stop me. It was just a 50-50 guess on who."

Damon: "Elijah's an Original vampire, Stefan. One we tried to kill. You don't believe this guy?"

Stefan: "What do you want me to do, Damon? Elena made her decision. She's choosing to trust Elijah. I'm going to put my faith in her."